Cognitive Behavioral Therapy basics and beyond

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy combines cognitive and behavioral therapies and has strong empirical support for treating mood and anxiety disorders. The basic premise of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is that emotions are difficult to change directly, so Cognitive Behavioral Therapy targets emotions by changing thoughts and behaviors that are contributing to the distressing emotions. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy builds a set of skills that enables an individual to beaware of thoughts and emotions; identify how situations, suicidal thoughts, and behaviors influence emotions; and improve feelings by changing dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. The process of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy skill acquisition is collaborative. Skill acquisition and homework assignments are what setCognitive Behavioral Therapy apart from “talk therapies”.